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Free Fall Activities For Families Near Philadelphia

October 22, 2013 8:00 AM

Fall is in its full, colorful glory, with holidays like Halloween and Thanksgiving just around the corner. From apples to zombies, there’s still plenty for families to do to enjoy everything the season has to offer. Best of all, you don’t have to spend a dime to enjoy some of the area’s top autumn activities.

Grim’s Greenhouse celebrates fall every day through November 2. While activities like the corn maze, hayride, play corral and scavenger hunt require admission (and combo discounts are available), families can still enjoy the straw maze and corn boxes for free, or use the visit to pick their own pumpkin and apples. If a pumpkin isn’t needed, families can wonder at the 10 different types of exotic pumpkins. There is also live music every weekend and refreshments like apple cider slushies, caramel apples and apple fries available every day.

The Lillian Marrero Library has a few events fit for all ages for Halloween. First, on Thursday, October 24 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., teens and tweens are invited to the library to transform the meeting room into a “Haunted House of Horrors.” On Saturday, families can visit the library at 2 p.m. for a Halloween party that allows kids of all ages to make a craft and enjoy scary stories. Finally, teens and tweens are welcomed back to the “Haunted House of Horrors” on Halloween at 4:30 p.m. for Scary Story Hour, where they can share their favorite scary stories and enjoy spooky treats.

They may not have brains, but the scarecrows on display at Peddler’s Village are a wonderful sight each fall. Participants made the scarecrows in September in one of the six categories: Quite the Character, Traditional/Whirligig, Extraordinary Contemporary, Kids Only, Group and Philly Love. The Philly Love category was new this year, the 34th year of the competition. Winners of the competition were announced on October 9 and the scarecrows are on display through October 27.

Salem wasn’t the only colony accusing people of witchcraft. But Quakers were more benevolent than the Puritans and only fined and essentially put on probation those found guilty of witchcraft. On October 27 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., visitors to the Pennsbury Manor get to play members of the jury in the trial of Margaret Mattson, a witchcraft trial that was actually presided over by William Penn in 1684. The event also includes trick-or-treating, fall activities and games.

From 9 a.m. to noon on November 2, Reeves Park is taken over by zombies. Families will get to test their zombie preparation skills with games like wilderness survival skill challenges, making a mini first-aid kit and making an emergency preparedness kit. Those who prefer the living dead lifestyle can participate in a zombie-themed costume contest as well. For the littlest zombies, there will be inflatable bouncers available. While the Fun Day is free, there will be a canned food drive to support the local Boy Scouts’ Scouting for Food Drive, and guests are asked to bring items to donate.

Samantha Sinclair is a freelance writer who lives in South Jersey. She has two boys who love “adventuring.” Her work can be found at Examiner.com.